1st Chicago speed camera to issue real tickets

A warning to drivers who speed near Chicago parks: starting Wednesday, you could be ticketed if you're caught speeding near Gompers Park in the North Side's Mayfair neighborhood.

Until now, drivers have only received warnings. To ease the transition, the city says it will start by only issuing tickets for those going 10 miles or more over the speed limit. There are currently ten cameras around schools and parks. Gradually, they will all start generating tickets.

The cameras are only issuing warnings to drivers, but fines will be levied starting later this month. If the violations had been tickets, they could have generated nearly $13.9 million for the city in just 39 days.

That's on pace to be well above the $40 million to $60 million in extra revenue forecast by Mayor Rahm Emanuel for next year.

But the larger-than-expected number of citations is prompting criticism from some who say the cameras are more about making money for the city than protecting children and pedestrians.

The city says revenue generated by the program will be invested in safety initiatives, including after school programs; anti-violence and jobs programs; crossing guards and police officers around schools; and infrastructure improvements, such as signs, crosswalk markings and other traffic safety improvements.

The first speed cameras installed near Gompers Park in the Mayfair neighborhood on the North Side were activated and began to produce warnings to speeding drivers in late August. Cameras installed at McKinley, Marquette and Garfield Parks were activated in early September. There are 50 sites total.

The city said the cameras would only issue warnings for the first 30 days after each was installed. The city also says each motorist will get one free warning the first time they would incur a ticket.

CDOT intends to install speed cameras in the following zones by the end of the year (addresses are those of the parks and schools, not of the specific camera locations):

Fines for violations are $35 for vehicles travelling 6-10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit while in a safety zone, and $100 for vehicles travelling 11 or more miles over the posted speed limit.

The Children's Safety Zones are designated as within 1/8th of a mile from Chicago parks or schools.

The enforcement hours will be limited from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in safety zones around schools on school days Monday through Friday; 7 a.m.-4 p.m.: 20 mph speed limit when children are present; 30 mph speed limit when no children are present; 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.: 30 mph speed limit

The enforcement hours around parks will be limited to only those hours parks are open (typically 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week) with a 30 mph speed limit.